The Black Rose - Part IV

Author's rantings:

I don't get myself sometimes, but right now I'm in the mood to torture my fave characters.  Call me crazy, but it's a season thing.  Sorry to everyone who hates Mukuro, lucky for everyone who hates Hiei and adores Yomi and loves Mukuro!  Our brave Yusuke is here too!  As for the irreplaceable, lovely fox (sigh) he should learn to love me back! (Sorry, couldn't resist this line, ha, ha!)

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Kurama:  So, this IS the last part? (Frowns darkly)

Shuriken: Hai.  Are you happy now?

Kurama:  Stop pairing me with Hiei!

Hiei:  Who wants to pair with you? Stupid fox!

Shuriken: (Glares at Hiei)  I know a certain youkai who wants to pair with my redhead!

Kurama:  I'm not yours or anyone's!

Hiei: (snickers)  Who would that crazy youkai be?

Shuriken:  (smiles evilly)  I thought you knew?

Hiei: Hn?

Kurama:  Hey!  I'm still here!

Shuriken:  The one with violet eyes?

Kurama: (runs off) AAAAAAH!

Shuriken:  Now what did I say?

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At the same time, Yomi, Mukuro, and Yusuke burst into the clearing.  The three drew harsh breaths.  Yusuke ran quickly to check on Hiei gingerly, the katana had pierced through the fire demon's chest.  Mukuro's face was very grim.  She turned to Yomi.

"Check on Kurama first, I'll pull the katana off Hiei."  She said matter-of-factly, though her mind was in chaos.  Gods Hiei!  Why did you do it?  She asked wordlessly, infusing a bit of ki on her hands.  She touched the fire demon's chest and very carefully pulled out the katana, using her ki to seal the wound.  The makai lord slowly transferred her ki to her heir's body, looking over her shoulder at Yomi and Yusuke.  Yusuke was doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the fallen youko/human.  Yomi brushed strands of Kurama's hair away from the pale face.  The makai lord was deathly pale himself.

"Come on, Kurama!  Wake up!"  Yusuke shouted.  Kurama wouldn't dare die on them!  Yomi looked up at the sudden darkening of the sky and saw Botan on her oar.  Yukina was with her.

"We came as fast as we could!"  Botan offered.  Yukina quickly ran to Kurama's side.

"Yusuke, please continue!"  Yukina instructed in a surprisingly firm voice.  The ice maiden placed a palm on Kurama's forehead.

"Nothing!  He's still not responding!"  Yusuke said frantically.  Yomi stood up in disbelief, breathing harshly.

"Botan, please help me!"  Yukina called the ferry girl.  Yusuke stepped aside as the two girls positioned their palms above Kurama's chest.  They watched with renewed hope and fascination as the palms emitted a strong electrical energy that struck the redhead hard on the chest.  Kurama's body buckled in response.  Still, the girls repeated the process.  Yusuke winced at his friend's violent reaction to the bolts directed on his body.  Then abruptly Kurama's chest rose.  The redhead drew a deep breath and opened his emerald eyes.  He screamed.

"HIEI DON'T!"

Yukina placed her hands on Kurama's arms as the redhead twisted his body violently.  She gazed down reassuringly at Kurama's wide, frantic eyes.  Botan squeezed the youko's hands in relief and started to redo the bandage on his abdomen.

"Yu-Yukina, Botan! "  Kurama said and tried to turn his head.  "H-Hiei... where is he?"  He asked in a broken voice.  The tears rolled down his cheeks.

Yusuke glanced at Yomi and then at Mukuro, before he bent down and spoke to the redhead.

"Kurama... it's okay."

"Yu-Yusuke... H-Hiei... he killed himself, d-didn't he? I-I saw him!"  Kurama's chest shook violently. 

Yusuke gestured to Mukuro.  The makai lord sighed and gazed down at the fire demon.  Hiei was breathing normally again, but still unconscious.  She looked up into Yomi's pained expression, knew the anguish inside Yomi's chest.  It reflected her own.  She slowly stood up with the fire demon in her arms and settled him beside the redhead.  She smiled at Kurama and kissed the tearful youko on the cheek.

"Kurama..." She said simply.  Words failed her.  She stood up and thanked Yusuke and Yomi then went away.

Yomi bent down on Kurama and stared at the youko for a very long time before he hugged him.

"I'll be waiting for you, if you change your mind."  The blind youkai said and kissed the youko hard on the lips.  Then he was gone.

"Right!"  Yusuke cracked his knuckles and whistled.

"You called us, Lord Yusuke?"

Yusuke turned to his three subjects who appeared behind him.

"Umm, please carry our visitors back to the palace."

The three nodded and carefully took a now unconscious Kurama and the still sleeping fire demon.

"Eeeeep!"  Botan screamed as she too was lifted to her feet.

Yusuke banged his fist on top of his subject's head.

"What are you doing?  Are you crazy?  I meant only the two of them!"  Yusuke glared at the youkai.

"G-gomen, Lord Yusuke."  The youkai said apologetically.

"Hum!  Never mind!  And don't call me Lord Yusuke!"

Yukina giggled as Botan quickly took out her oar.
"Yukina, let's get out of here!"  The ferry girl muttered.

"Botan, I'm sorry about that."  Yusuke called to the fast disappearing figures.  "Why was she in so much hurry anyway?"  He scratched his head.

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Kurama stared blankly at his bandaged abdomen.  Three days had passed since Yusuke had brought them to his territory and still there was no sign of Hiei.  Not even a shadow.  Kurama had known from Yusuke that the other day, Hiei had gone to Mukuro and asked to be freed from their pact.  The fire youki no longer wanted to be Mukuro's heir.  Now the youko wondered what Hiei was going to do next.  There was a knock on his room and Yusuke came in.  Bright and cheery and always.

"Yo Kurama!  I brought along a visitor!"

The redhead forced a smile on his face.  His heart started to beat wildly.  Was it Hiei?  Had he finally decided to come and visit him?

Yusuke watched Kurama's face for a while before shoving his guest into the room.

"Oi, Yusuke!  Cut that out!"  Kuwabara's whining voice echoed inside the room.

"Kuwabara!"  Kurama called to his friend joyfully.   He missed the company of the orange-hair youth.

"Kurama, what happened to you?  Who's the bastard who did this to you?"  Kuwabara demanded.

Kurama blushed hotly and turned to Yusuke to help him out.

Yusuke just snickered.

"Ano... I had a slight accident."  The redhead patted his belly reassuringly.  "By the way, what brings you here?"  Kurama asked conversationally.

Yusuke had a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Well, ah, you know, I'm just visiting.  Right, Yusuke?"  Kuwabara rolled his eyes.

Kurama eyed his two friends suspiciously.

Yusuke quickly turned Kuwabara toward the doorway.

"Kurama, you need to rest now.  We will be back later!"  The brown-haired youth practically dragged his orange-hair friend out of the room.

"Yusuke..." Kurama called, but then stopped.  The fire demon had just entered the doorway.

Hiei came into the room and closed the door after him quietly.  Kurama's palms began to sweat as the fire youkai locked the door securely.  That traitor Yusuke!

Hiei leaned against the door and stared at Kurama.  After about ten minutes of fussing with his bedspread, hands, and etc., Kurama sighed and looked up into Hiei's solemn face.

"What do you want, Hiei?"  Kurama had to ask.  He couldn't stand the unnerving silence any longer.

Hiei came to the foot of the bed and kneeled before the stunned youko.

"Kurama, I came to ask for your forgiveness."  The fire demon said at last.

Kurama's body trembled.  He hadn't imagined someone like Hiei's character to KNEEL before him.  The fire youkai had lost all his bravado.

"Get up, Hiei!"  Kurama gritted his teeth.  Hiei was his friend, no matter what he had done.  The past was past.

The fire youkai looked up at him sorrowfully.

"Kurama..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for.  You did what you thought was best.  And now, I'm just glad it's all over."  Kurama whispered to him.

"Kurama... how can you forgive me?"  The fire demon closed his eyes.

Kurama held his breath.

"Hiei..." He didn't know what to say.  "Let's just forget it."

"Kurama, you know I never meant to hurt you."

"Hiei, forget it.  Let's forget it."  Kurama turned his eyes outside the window.  He would not look into those repentant ruby eyes.

"Kurama, I..."

"I SAID FORGET IT, DAMMIT!"  The redhead leaped from his bed and grasped the youkai by his cloak

The ruby eyes stared quite calmly at the raging emerald ones.

"You stubborn, annoying, selfish, cold-hearted..."

"I'm never that..."

Kurama stopped and raked his eyes at the fire youkai.

"Nani?  What-did-you-say?"

"I said I'm never cold-hearted!"  Hiei said poker faced.

Kurama glared at him and loosened his grasp on Hiei's cloak.  The redhead turned back to his bed when he was grabbed from behind.

"HIEI!"  He stared in fear at the suddenly angry fire demon.

"I've had it!  Who are you, Kurama?  Who gave you the right to dictate to me!  Who gave you the power to change my life!"  Hiei said in a dangerously deep voice and threw the redhead on the bed.

Kurama struggled to get up, but Hiei was on top of him fast.

"Get off me, fire demon or I'll have you eaten by makai plants!"  Kurama gritted his teeth.

"I'll burn them to ashes!"  Hiei answered bitingly and kissed the redhead hard on the lips.

When Hiei let go of the redhead's lips, Kurama was cursing him.

"Damn you!  Why can't you just leave me alone!"  Kurama rasped angrily.

Hiei kissed him again to shut him up.

"Mmmmph!"  Kurama pushed the fire demon away, kicking him.

"Ittai, that hurts!"  Hiei cursed and trapped the redhead's limbs under his.

Kurama struggled still as Hiei pressed their faces together.

"Better give up, fox.  You're not getting out of here until you bond with me."

"You sadistic bastard!"  Kurama spat at him.

Hiei kissed him again.

"H-Hiei!'' Kurama gasped after he got his breath back.

The fire demon tenderly brushed strands of red hair out of the silky smooth face.

"Well?"  He drawled.

"I thought you came here to apologize!"  Kurama accused him.

"I did and you've forgiven me.  I can't wait for you another minute, fox.  I want you to be mine."

"H-Hiei."  Kurama became silent and bowed his head.

Hiei tilted his chin.

"Fox?"

"A-are you sure?"  Kurama asked hesitantly.

Hiei's grin was so wide, his fangs gleamed under the bright sunlight.  He bent down again to claim the redhead's lips.  "Ai shiteru, kitsune."

"Ai..." Kurama's voice was drowned by insistent, loud knocking on the bedroom door.

"Oi, Hiei!  Aren't you done yet?  The ceremony will start very soon!"  Yusuke's muffled voice came from behind the closed door.

 ~OWARI~

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Kurama: You mean... (Kurama's emerald eyes widened)

Hiei grinned wider.

Kurama: You were so sure?

Hiei smiled.

Kurama: Rose whip!!

Hiei: Waaah!  Kurama!!

Kurama:  I'm going to whip you, you self-assured fire demon!!

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